One of the popular searches on Google today is about it being the annual National Day of Prayer.
In the midst of what is described as the worst pandemic in 100 years, that’s not surprising of course.This health and economic crisis we have been going through has people who may not pray, now praying, and people who do pray, praying a lot more.
Prayer has been a part of our country since its beginnings. The Pilgrims arrived in what is now America in 1620 seeking religious freedom and they prayed a lot on the trip here and once they were here.
There were special days of prayers at the start of the Revolutionary War. And during the Civil War, President Lincoln declared two days of prayer – in 1861 and 1863.
It was President Harry Truman who signed the National Day of Prayer into law back in 1952, and President Ronald Reagan who then established the annual National Day of Prayer celebration on the first Thursday of May each year.
Of course here in 2020, with no large gatherings allowed, the annual National Day of Prayer event is a virtual one.
But as the president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, said this week, "This year's ‘virtual’ observance may have more prayer -- and more 'pray-ers' than ever before.”
There’s probably little doubt about that, given the huge numbers of people watching on-line church services for the last several weeks. This historic pandemic will be remembered for many things, but one of them will be when more Americans prayed more often, especially on this National Day of Prayer in 2020.
CLICK HERE for info on National Day of Prayer event.
(Photo Credit; In honor and support of healthcare and medical professionals, the Washington National Cathedral is lit up blue with a thank message on Friday, April 17, 2020. (Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)